


An Old Friend - TGatG AU

by TheMetalReaper



Series: The Ghost and the Guard [5]
Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Developing Friendships, Fast Food, Gen, New Friends!, Some nice happiness to apologize for all the pain I put them through!, platonic fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-08 09:55:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15928037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMetalReaper/pseuds/TheMetalReaper
Summary: Aaaaaand we have a random happy story, to ask for forgiveness for all the pain I've put these kids through. Today, I've decided to add a new living person to the gang, so, here we go!





	An Old Friend - TGatG AU

The phone book’s yellowed pages crackle as Charlie absentmindedly flips through it. She stops at a page, studying a name intently. 

“Hey, Mike?” Charlie calls over her shoulder into the other room. “Can you come here for a minute?”

The guard walks over, squinting at the small text of the phone book. “What’s up?”

“Who is this? I feel like I know him from somewhere.” 

Leaning closer, Michael smiles at the name.  _ Jeremy Fitzgerald. _ “Yeah. He was one of the kids who would hang out with me at Fazbear’s. I even moved in with him after my father’s ‘disappearance’. We were… really close.”

“What happened?”

“Well…” The guard’s smile fades. “We just grew apart, I guess. Started talking less and less, until... after Circus Baby’s Rentals, and everything that came after that, we severed ties completely.” 

“Why don’t you try calling him?”

“Uh, have you seen me lately? I’m in no condition to be seen by living people.”

“I didn’t say he had to  _ see  _ you. What can you lose from calling him?”

Michael sighs. “...fine.” With shaking fingers, he dials the numbers into the landline. The phone rings once, twice, a third time. As it rings a fourth time, Michael starts to raise a victorious eyebrow at Charlie. He’s about to hang up the phone, when-

“Uh, hi? Who is this?” It shocks Michael, Jeremy’s voice hadn’t changed since they last spoke. Though it hadn’t been that long, it felt like years. “Hello?” Apparently Michael’s silence was audible, even to Jeremy. 

“This is Michael. Michael… Afton.” Even Charlie cringes at how awkward he sounds.

Jeremy laughs, recognizing the guard’s voice. “Michael! It’s been a long time, man! How are you?”

“I’m alright. What about you?”

“I’m good! Y’know, we  _ have _ to go for lunch sometime! Actually, are you free today?”

“Y-yeah, I think so.” The panic in Michael’s eyes is hilarious to Charlie, who Michael swiftly aims a kick at.

“You’re still in the area, right? How ‘bout we meet at Nate’s Hot Dogs in, say, an hour?”

The guard sighs, knowing that even if he ducked out of this lunch, another that he couldn’t avoid would be inevitable. “Sure. Nate’s in an hour. I’ll see you then.”

“Can’t wait!” Jeremy practically shouts as he hangs up the phone. Slowly, Michael gets out of his chair and trudges into his bedroom, with Charlie trailing behind him.

“Mike!” She exclaims, “Jeremy sounds so nice! Can I come? I’m so excited!”

“Please, calm down. And yes, you can come, just… calm down.” Michael shoots her a tired smile as he shuts the bedroom door.

The spirit bounces in place in front of the door. “Okay!”

 

* * *

 

With a sigh, Michael waits in front of the restaurant and checks his watch. Jeremy’s late. Standing next to him, Charlie stands on her tiptoes to see it too. 

“Maybe we should just go home.” Michael sighs. 

“No!” The spirit shoves Michael, barely moving him. “This is the first time you’ve left the house in… months! If Jeremy doesn’t show, than we at  _ least  _ have to walk around a little bit. You could use the fresh air.”

“Lee, people are already staring at me. I’m a purple man talking to thin air. And besides, neither of us breathe anymore.”

“Come on. There’s gotta be at least one thing you wanna do.”

“There is one. I want to go home.”

“ _ Mike _ .”

“What else did you expect me to- oh my god it’s him.” Michael turns to an olive-skinned man with messy black hair who’s running up to him, panting. 

“Hey, Mike. Sorry I’m late! It’s so good to see you again.” Jeremy pants, grinning. 

Michael smiles back at him. “Hi, Jeremy. It really is good to see you.”

“You look really different! Are those… purple contacts?”

“It’s a long story,” Crossing his arms, Michael’s smile hardens slightly. Charlie glares at him, whispering for him to _be_ _nice_ to Jeremy.

“Wanna order?” Jeremy smiles, unaware of his friend’s rising discomfort.

“Sure.”

Together, the two men walk up to the counter, with Charlie trailing behind, trying her best to avoid walking through people. They sit down at a table, and Michael makes sure that there’s a seat for Charlie. 

“So, what’s been going on?” Jeremy’s legs swing under the table as he eats his hot dog. 

“I mean, nothing much. A few months ago, I was going through my father’s old stuff, and I found a letter, addressed to me. Dated from before his disappearance.”

“What’d it say?”

“It instructed me to go to this place called ‘Circus Baby’s Rentals’. You remember that place when we were little?” 

“I do! Wasn’t that where Elizabeth…”

Michael glances at Charlie, who’s trying to reassure him. “Yeah.”

“It’s weird that there’s a warm breeze in here, right? Or is it just me?” Jeremy smiles awkwardly, and the spirit’s eyes widen as she scoots back in her chair.

“I dunno, maybe it came from outside.” Michael shoots Charlie a glare. “Anyway, what have you been doing?”

“Oh, my boss retired, so I was actually promoted to manager of the Aldi’s I was working at! I like managing people, plus I have a  _ ton _ of nutty customer stories.”

In Michael’s opinion, Jeremy’s best quality was his ability to talk for hours without end. “I’d love to hear some.”

 

* * *

 

“And then he started screaming about the donuts!”

Michael laughs hysterically. “I forgot about the donuts!”

“So did we! But, I mean, that’s why you never pick a fight with the Red Bull guy.”  Jeremy puts down his empty cola can.

“Excuse me, sirs?” One of the employees approaches the table. “We’re closing now, so you’re going to have to leave.”

“Thanks, Lily.” Jeremy smiles at her as he and Michael get up. 

The two leave the building, and linger outside. “This was a lot of fun, Jere!”

“It really was. I’m glad you agreed to meet me.” 

“Uh, look…” Michael looks away, smile falling. “Do you think you could come back to my place for a bit? I have a few things that I’d like to tell you.”

Jeremy grins, trying to dispel Michael’s anxiety. “Sure!” Charlie places a hand on Michael’s shoulder, trying to do the same.

As they enter the house, Jeremy smiles at the familiar decor. “I didn’t know you moved back here!”

“It was convenient, I guess.” Michael sighs, “But, anyway… I have a lot to tell you.”

Sitting in a chair, Jeremy crosses his legs and makes himself comfortable. “Go ahead. We have all night.”

“Well, first of all. Do you remember Charlie Miller? From Fazbear’s Family Diner?”

“A little. She was a sweet kid. It was really a shame what happened to her.”

“Well… she’s in the room. With us. Right now.  _ God _ , there was a better way to say this.”

“ _ What? _ ”

Michael glances at Charlie, gesturing for her to reveal herself. With shaking hands and a nervous smile, she does so. Jeremy shrieks, putting his hands up in front of his face to try and protect himself.

“H-hey, it’s alright! I’m not gonna hurt you!” Charlie says, putting a hand on Jeremy’s shoulder. He breathes shakily, but doesn’t move away. “I’m sorry. It’s… scary at first, I know, but I’d never hurt anyone.”

Jeremy sighs. “Okay. Well, it’s nice to meet you, I guess.”

“Ditto.” 

Michael smiles at both of them, glad to see that his two best friends are getting along. “There’s just one more thing.”

“Mm?” Jeremy watches his friend solemnly. 

“I followed the instructions from my father’s letter. I went to the place, and… she was there. Elizabeth was possessing one of the robots. She-”

“She took advantage of Michael.” Charlie growls, with gritted teeth and curled fists. “She lured him in, killed him, and  _ used his skin to escape. _ ” Jeremy’s eyes widened with fear. He tried to respond, but words wouldn’t come.

Michael chuckles mirthlessly. “I still don’t know how I survived, but… I’m here.” 

“Mike, you said that nothing much happened since we last spoke. That is  _ obviously _ not the case.” Jeremy smiles.

Michael winks at him. “Well, we’re gonna be talking a lot more now, that’s for sure.”

“Good.”

The three friends sit together in a comfortable silence for a minute, until Jeremy gets up.

“I’m afraid I gotta go. I have work tomorrow.”

Charlie waves. “Good night, Jeremy! It was nice meeting you!” 

“G’nite, Jere. I’ll see you soon.” Michael smiles at him. 

“Bye, you two. I’ll talk to you later!” As Jeremy pushes the front door open, he grins one last time at his two friends, one new and one old.


End file.
